ROOSEVELT — Investigators are hoping the promise of a $5,000 reward will lead them to the person who stole 18 semi-automatic handguns from a Roosevelt store in June.

A masked man dressed entirely in black broke into Stewart's Marketplace, 245 W. U.S. 40, about 2:30 a.m. on June 23. Surveillance video from the store showed the man running directly to the sporting goods department, shattering the glass out of a gun case and loading handguns into a duffel bag.

On Monday, Andrew L. Traver, special agent in charge of the Denver office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agency is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the burglar.

"Investigators have received information that some of the firearms may have been delivered to surrounding states, including Nevada," Travers said in a statement announcing the reward.

"ATF and the Roosevelt Police Department are committed to solving this investigation,” Traver added. “We know that often stolen firearms end up on the streets and in the hands of violent criminals. We are asking the community to come forward with information that could help provide leads and bring those responsible for this criminal act to justice.”

The 18 stolen guns are all semi-automatic, including .380-caliber, 9 mm, .40-caliber and .45-caliber weapons, according to Roosevelt police detective Pete Butcher.

"Based on the investigation and the evidence, the person did some homework in this case," Butcher said, adding that police believe the suspect is in his 30s.

Anyone with information about the case should call the ATF's Gun Hotline at 800-283-4867, the ATF Salt Lake City field office at 801-524-7070 or the Roosevelt Police Department at 435-722-4558.

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Theft of even a single gun
from a licensed dealer is a federal felony with some serious prison time. That
is, if BATFE and the U.S. Attorney bother to prosecute the crooks. Their record
of actually
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